A Beast, But Not At Heart
by Shadow329826
Summary: AU! The concept is confusing, it's explained inside. Vriska and John, a troll girl and a human boy, faced with the struggles of the strange ways their worlds and lives work. There's something just keeping them from being finally happy. (Rating may increase later on) Vrisjohn, Davekat, Rosekan/Rosemary, and other various ships. More characters included than listed!
1. Explanation

**W1F1 Says: Hello! This idea was... accidental, to say the least, and was literally born from a doodle of Terezi with draconic features on some math notes. The basis is a bit confusing, so I'll explain it a little bit here so you aren't completely lost. On a person's 13th birthday, or in the case of other species, the equivalent of it (Like a troll's 6th wriggling day), they become a fused existence typically based on personality, goals, or interests. Trolls are almost always fused with animals or mythological creatures, cherubs are almost always a personified version of a concept, and humans are usually either animal, mythological creature, or concept, but under rare circumstances, will not fuse or combine with an object! Earth and Alternia are also linked via magical portals that no one really knows the origins of, and new portals open and old ones close at random quite often.**

 **I hope this makes sense! If you're still confused, just PM me please!**


	2. Prologue: Interspecies Friendship

On a planet linked to another by dimensional rifts, a boy sits at his computer. His Pesterchum is open, waiting for anyone to come online and talk.

On another planet, the one linked to the first, a girl nearing her 6th wriggling day opens her Pesterchum to try and contact a friend.

arachnidsGrip (AG) began pestering ectoBiologist (EB)

AG: John?! John! I need to talk!

EB: oh, hi, vriska! what's up?

AG: Something 8ad is going to happen to me soon. If I vanish for a while and come back acting str8ngely mean, will you just leave me alone?

EB: i can do that, but i would like to know why you want me to do that. i'm your friend, you don't have to be scared!

AG: When I reach the week 8efore my 6th wriggling day, my transformation is going to start. It sometimes does crazy things to trolls, though. One of my 8est friends went through hers recently, and when she came 8ack she wasn't the s8me.

EB: oh, right! i forgot you trolls have some crazy things when you guys grow up!

AG: Heh, I guess we are weird to you humans, but you're weird to us too! ::::D

AG: Aaaaaaaanyway, before I turn into a pro8a8ly horrible monster, could we maybe meet up in person? I'll find a portal to Earth, no8ody wants to accidentally warp to the surface of Alternia during the day.

EB: sure, sounds cool! :) do you think you'll be able to find a portal to near me, though? i don't know of any around myself.

AG: I'm not sure of any that are going to get me to you, but I already know a few near me! I've been through them to make sure they're st8ble, but I haven't figured out where they go.

AG: I'll grab some stuff and check them out now. See you soon?

EB: yeah, see you soon.

arachnidsgrip (AG) ceased pestering ectoBiologist (EB)

The young troll gets up from her computer and immediately starts searching her room for anything she wants to bring to meet her friend for the first time in person. In the end, she settles for tossing a book of photos from her FLARPing days into her Sylladex and swapping her standard glasses for the ones hooked up with a mini-computer to talk with John. She sets off for one of the portals.

Stepping inside the portal, the world distorts for a few seconds before releasing her onto Earth. She staggers, and falls down. She's extremely dizzy, and just sits where she fell for a few minutes. It's seems she's in a... field of some sort? Well, it could've been worse.

When the dizziness wears off, she presses a button on her glasses, pulling up Pesterchum.

arachnidsGrip (AG) began pestering ectoBiologist (EB)

AG: Okay, I'm down!

EB: nice! where are you?

AG: Some kind of field. I'll send you a picture.

AG: -image of a mildly confused Vriska in a field here-

EB: oh, i know where that is! it's maybe about a half-hour drive from my house. i'll ask my dad about going there.

AG: Okay!

AG: ...

AG: ...

AG: ...

EB: geez, i'm back, relax!

EB: my dad says it's okay! i'm gonna switch over to my phone now so we can keep talking.

EB: can't wait to meet you!

AG: Same!

arachnidsGrip (AG) ceased pestering ectoBiologist (EB)

John grabs his phone and dashes out of his room, downstairs, and outside, where his dad is waiting for him. They set out on the drive to the park where Vriska landed, John on his phone almost the entire way.

Finally, they arrive. Barely waiting for his dad, John leaps out of the car and takes off down one of the paths, winding his way to the least used picnic clearing, almost entirely abandoned and completely emptied ever since the portal had opened there. Sure enough, a troll girl is there, laying in the grass, her mess of black hair surrounding her.

"Hello!" John calls to her.

She sits up straight, looking around, panicked, before spotting him. Her single, blue-rimmed, yellow eye narrows as she tries to identify him. "You're Vriska, right?"

The slightly angry glare fades into a much warmer smile. "Yep! I assume you're John, then."

"Yeah. Sorry for scaring you, I was just so excited!"

"Heh, it's fine. It's great to finally meet you."

Vriska stands up as John walks over to her. She's a good head taller than him, with her horns only increasing that difference. "So, are you ready to have some fun here on Earth?" he asks.

"Heck yes!"

* * *

It's hard for him to believe it's already January. Already a month and a half since he finally met his three best human friends in person.

In the second to last week of November, Jade, Rose, and Dave had all set up plans to come visit John, as one big group. Their birthdays were all approaching much too fast, and all four knew it would be nice to meet each other before it happened. And boy, it was great. Jade's grandfather didn't want her to come, but her older cousin, Jake, managed to bring her anyway. Rose and her older sister Roxy, and Dave and his older brother Dirk came without issues. Jane, John's cousin, was super excited to meet up with the older kids again. The two groups of four had an absolutely fantastic time, except for Jade on their last couple days, when the transformation began to edge in. It didn't stop them anyway.

Near the end of December, the three kids finally contacted John again, with notable differences. Rose was friendlier than normal, Dave started rhyming more than normal and he seemed to be very easily distracted, Jade was almost normal but chattier and more excitable. They all did explain what they became: Rose was a white cat, Dave was a crow, and Jade seemed to have fused with her own wolf-dog, Becquerel. At least they still were around. Vriska had been gone for months now, vanishing without a trace ever since the day they met up.

That was, until now.

arachnidsGrip (AG) began pestering ectoBiologist (EB)

AG: Hhey, John. I reallly should'vve contacted you soonerr, 8ut I''ve been so nervoous a8out iit. Ggeez, I can 8arelly keeep my hands from shakking.

EB: VRISKA! i'm glad you're back! and don't really worry about taking so long, because in the end, it didn't matter, did it?

AG: Acctually, it kind ooff has. A lot has happened since I left.

AG: My transformation was shockingly smooth, for growing six extra eyes, two more pairs of arms, and a tail. The eyes were actually awful in the end, though.

EB: were? not are?

AG: I

AG: I tore them out.

AG: All six little new ones. They threw off my vision so much, I panicked and clawed at them until they stopped seeing. It was a mess, and my sister found me ten minutes l8er. She ended up stitching them permanently shut, along the three lines I had m8de.

AG: I guess it really could have went worse. I could've 8een like Rezi and went practically feral. Six arms are quite useful sometimes.

EB:

EB:

EB: wow.

AG: It's crazy, I know. You shouldn't worry a8out your own shift, humans tend to be less drastic.

EB: actually, my own worry for my own time isn't about how drastic it will be. it's more that i'm worried it won't happen at all. i don't have any animals i'm like or any trait that can be used as a shift. i'm probably going to be a normal human forever...

AG: Don't think like that! I've being reading some of Aranea's books and stuff, especially while the scars were healing, and apparently it's been seen happening where a human who doesn't naturally transform fuses with an object. You still have a chance at a transformation anyway! ::::D

EB: thanks vris, but i doubt it'll happen to me. well, i've got some things to do now. i'll talk to you later, i guess.

AG: Sure! I'm glad we got to talk again.

ectoBiologist (EB) ceased pestering arachnidsGrip (AG)

AG: If only you knew how much I hope you'll still treat me this way if you ever see me.


	3. Chapter 05: Finally, It Hits

**AN: Just so you know, the next chapter ends the massive time jumps for now! I might have more later on, but there's not going to be anything longer than a few hours skipped at a time for now! Also, sorry that this one is short, it's mostly a transition from prologue to main story.**

April already. Wow. Time certainly has flown by, and it's almost John's birthday already. He sits down at his computer, ready to tell his friends he'll probably been gone during his transformation.

ectoBiologist (EB) began pestering tentacleTherapist (TT)

EB: hey rose.

TT: Hello John! How are you today?

EB: about as good as someone who's approaching his 13th birthday.

TT: Oh yeah, right. I forgot your birthday was coming up! Do you want anything for it?

EB: no thanks. i mostly just wanted to tell you i'm probably going to be gone for the next week or so.

TT: Okay! I guess I'll talk to you in a week, then?

EB: yep. see you later, then.

ectoBiologist (EB) ceased pestering tentacleTherapist (TT)

One friend down, three to go.

ectoBiologist (EB) began pestering turntechGodhead (TG)

EB: hey dave!

TG: yo whats up?

EB: i just came to let you know i'll be gone for a week.

TG: well then, i guess ill have to wait to wish you a happy birth-date

TG: god that rhyme was such a stretch

EB: it was.

EB: well, see you around?

TG: see ya dude

TG: and good luck!

ectoBiologist (EB) ceased pestering turntechGodhead (TG)

Well, onto the next and probably most disastrous friend.

ectoBiologist (EB) began pestering gardenGnostic (GG)

EB: hello jade.

GG: hi john!

GG: did you need something, or are you just here to chat?

EB: i just have to tell you something.

GG: what is it?

EB: as you probably know, my transformation is coming up. i'll be gone for about a week then, alright?

GG: awwwww...

EB: don't be sad though! as soon as it's over, i'll come and talk with you again!

GG: oh okay

GG: ill miss you while youre gone, but at least youll be back :)

EB: well, bye for now.

GG: BYE!

ectoBiologist (EB) ceased pestering gardenGnostic (GG)

That went better than he expected. Jade's quite tough to deal with sometimes, now. She took it well though. Only one person left.

ectoBiologist (EB) began pestering arachnidsGrip (AG)

EB: hey vriska.

AG: Hey John! You worried a8out your transform8ion or something?

EB: not really anymore, but i am going to be gone for a week or so because of it.

AG: Alright.

AG: I guess... You want me to leave you alone during it, then.

EB: if you can, yeah.

AG: Yep. See ya!

EB: bye!

ectoBiologist (EB) ceased pestering arachnidsGrip (AG)

And done! John leans back in his chair with a sigh of relief. Friends now will leave him alone while he feels awful. He gets up and rearranges some things in his room so it will be as safe as it can be while he's suffering the same things his friends have, except minus the growing animal limbs and stuff or gaining magical powers.

* * *

The next few days crawl by, John's condition slowly worsening. His room almost feels like it's an oven, so he rolls off his bed, opens the window, and goes to turn on the small fan he set up. Upon contact with it, however, a bright flash erupts and the fan vanishes. John staggers back, extremely dizzy. He backs straight into his bed, falls onto it, and passes out.


	4. Chapter 1: Not Actually Awful

He wakes up to a soft whirring, as well as a bunch of notification sounds from Pesterchum. A cat's meow, a bird's caw, and a dog's bark, all screaming at him to come check. "Aw geez... what happened?" he asks aloud, not to really anyone in particular. He goes to check Pesterchum, to find a group chat with Rose, Dave, and Jade has been started, and that's why the noise is going crazy.

A group chat with ectoBiologist (EB), tentacleTherapist (TT), turntechGodhead (TG) and gardenGnostic (GG) was started!

GG: JOHN! are you there? please be there, please be there...

TT: Jade, relax. He's probably just not at his computer right now!

GG: BUT ROSE! he promised to talk to me as soon as the week was over!

TT: We can't all be expected to be around the very moment we are supposed to return. You of all people should know. Didn't you run multiple days over?

GG: grrrrr...

TG: ladies, ladies! i know we all miss john, but youve gotta relax, he'll be back!

TT: Thank you, Dave.

TG: no problem

EB: oh, uh, hey guys? sorry for the delays, i have literally no idea what's been going on with me. i, like, went to turn my fan on because i was really hot, but it vanished in a flash and i passed out.

GG: WHAT?!

TG: dude that sounds p crazy

TT: How long ago did this happen?

EB: honestly, I don't have a clue. i don't even know what today is to base it off of.

GG: the day after your birthday

TG: ^

TT: Yes, yesterday was your birthday.

EB: then that was about four-ish days ago.

TT: John, you might've fused with the fan. Have you checked for any changes where it may have altered your physical self?

EB: not yet. i honestly just woke up, and i hadn't thought of it.

ectoBiologist is an idle chum!

TG: what the heck

First things first, check the easier places. John looks down at his hands, actually paying attention to them rather than just the quick glances when he's typing. His hands are some insane fan-like contraption, with a single fan about the size his palm was, surrounded by solid metal wires that form the shape of the rest of his hand, including his fingers, which were somehow still moving. The fans were slowly spinning. In fact, his arms are entirely made of fans, stacked one above another and connected by wires, with space between each one. They still work like normal, however weird they are.

After searching for other replaced body parts, he's figured out it's only his arms and legs that are changed, and everything still works like normal.

ectoBiologist is an active chum!

EB: well.

EB: my arms and legs are now made of chains of fans, sorta. they still work like ordinary limbs, at least.

TT: It's a good thing you still fully work! I've read about things like that going horribly wrong, where a person with no goals to become fuses with an object by accident.

EB: vriska told me i might fuse with an object, but honestly, i never thought i'd actually do it.

TG: dude, you still talk with that crazy girl? i thought she had vanished of the face of the earth for eternity

EB: HEY! at least she isn't some sort of psycho like the troll you talk with!

TG: how dare you talk about terezi like that! she is great and you will just have to handle that fact!

GG: GUYS!

TT: Relax.

GG: you two have great troll friends, we all do! actually, we should have a big chat with all of them some day!

EB: sure, jade, but not right now. i've still got a pretty nasty headache. i think i'll go wander my neighbor hood for a little while. i need some fresh air and a walk.

TG: later!

TT: See you soon.

GG: aw, bye guys!

ectoBiologist (EB) left the group chat

turntechGodhead (TG) left the group chat

tentacleTherapist (TT) let the group chat

gardenGnostic (GG) left the group chat

John leaves his room as quietly as possible, trying not to catch his dad's attention. Like usual, it fails, and his dad spots him from the kitchen. He walks out with a cake. "Happy birthday John!"

"Hey dad, thanks! I'll have some later, but I'm gonna go take a walk, okay?"

His dad goes back into the kitchen, and John pulls a light jacket on, partly to cover his arms, partly because he knows it'll be cool outside.

* * *

On Alternia, Vriska finishes up her latest argument with her former moirail, Terezi, and decides to see if anyone who might help her cool down a bit. That dragon sure ruffles her feathers- not literally, though. She nearly leaps out of her seat when she spots the yellow smiley face next to ectoBiologist lit up. As fast as her six arms can possibly go, she opens up the chat with him and greets him excitedly.

arachnidsGrip (AG) began pestering ectoBiologist (EB)

AG: John! Hello! ::::D

A couple minutes pass without a reply.

AG: John?

AG: Dude, are you dead or something?

AG: DUDE.

EB: Hello.

EB: I assume you are one of John's friends?

AG: Yeeeeaaaah... Who are you, and how do you h8ve access to his Pesterchum?

EB: I'm his father.

EB: John is currently out for walk around our neighborhood.

EB: I believe he might have been pretty overwhelmed by his transformation.

EB: I didn't catch what he ended up with, though.

AG: Aw, alright. Would it 8e possible for me to come over?

EB: If you have a way to get here on your own, yes.

She talks for a few more minutes, finding out what she needs to know, then gets up from her computer. Grabbing her newly built jetpack, she races down through her hive, trying to get out as fast as she can. "VRISKA!" Aranea suddenly yells. "Where are you going?"

"Aranea! I'm going to meet up with a friend!"

"And who is this _friend_?"

"I-it's John. He's back, and I thought I'd go down for a little while."

"Fine. You can go. Only if you keep track of the time as closely as possible. I don't want my little sister burning herself to a crisp over simply coming home."

"'Kay! See ya later, Aranea!"

Vriska finally escapes to the outside and runs straight for the portal she knows brings her close enough to John's house for her to get there. After tumbling into the grass of the park, she turns on the computer abilities of her glasses and sets it to help her find her way to the house. She takes off with her jetpack, flying high above everything. In no more than ten minutes, she's reached their neighborhood. Her glasses tell her exactly which house she needs to land at, and she dives down to the street, landing surprisingly well. She walks up to the door and hesitates there, trying to decide which arm to knock with, settling on just using her front arm.

John's father opens the door and almost slams the door back on her, but she catches it. "Wait! I'm not a monster, and I'm not here to hurt you. You probably don't really recognize me, but I'm Vriska, same as I always have been!"

"Oh, sorry."

He lets her in. She takes her jetpack off, arms randomly getting pulled through in all directions. A couple minutes later, John walks in from outside. "John!" she squeals, and picks him up in a hug using all six arms.

At first, he's a little confused, but then he figures out who he just got hug attacked by. "Vriska! I didn't know you were coming!"

"It wasn't my original plan, either. I saw you were online, but when I sent a message to you, your dad responded, so I decided I might try to come as a surprise."

"I'm glad you're here! Now could you put me down? It's nothing against you, but it's really awkward being suspended in midair like this."

"Oh, sorry," she says as she places him down.

"Sooooo... you don't think I'm a freak like this?" she asks softly.

"Not anymore than I am!" he replies, taking off his jacket to show her his arms. The fans are spinning pretty fast with his joy. "I accidentally merged myself with a fan trying to cool my room down! Let's face it though, we both could've ended up a LOT worse."

"Yeah, at least our personalities are intact and we weren't harmed in the process. Terezi went pretty crazy and from what I've heard, Feferi almost died, so we're very lucky."

"Definitely, but who's Feferi? I don't believe you've ever mentioned them and I don't think I've met them before."

"She's a really super sweet fuchsia-blooded seatroll! Her chumhandle is cuttlefishCuller, if that helps at all. She was super fragile, though, but her older sister does such a good job caring for her."

"I think I might've talked with her a couple times, the handle sounds familiar. Anyway, wanna find something to do?"

"Sure!"

Suddenly, John's computer unleashes a bird's caw again, meaning Dave has sent a message. He takes off up the stairs, tailed closely by Vriska, and suddenly more notification sounds begin shooting off.

turntechGodhead (TG) started a group chat!

TG: hello! i figured id start this up now, but we dont need to use it yet

TG: for john, rose, and jade: you guys can add your troll friends in when you get around to it!

gallowsCalibrator (GC) joined the group chat

tentacleTherapist (TT) joined the group chat

gardenGnostic (GG) joined the group chat

GC: D4V3! WHY 4R3 YOU 4DD1NG M3 TO 4 R4NDOM GROUP CH4T?

TG: its not random, terezi! its just so we can all get to know each other

TT: Hello. I'll add Kanaya, give me a second.

GG: and ill add karkat!

GC: W3'R3 4DD1NG K4RKL3S?! 1 H4V3N'T T4LK3D TO H1M 1N 4G3S!

grimAuxiliatrix (GA) was added to the group chat

carcinoGeneticist (CG) was added to the group chat

CG: MY G99DNESS JADE, WAS IT NECESSARY TO ADD ME TO A GR9UP CHAT?

GG: yes it was, karkat! everyones coming so itll be great!

CG: ALL RIGHT.

CG: MUST TEREZI 6E HERE, TH9UGH?

GC: DO YOU H4V3 4 PROBL3M W1TH TH4T?

CG: N9T REALLY, 6UT THERE WAS A REAS9N I TRIED T9 ST9P TALKING WITH Y9U. Y9U'RE N9T THE SAME TEAL BL99D I KNEW ANYM9RE.

GA: I Suppose I Should Step In Before You Two Get At Each Others Throats

GG: am i the only one wondering when john will show up?

TG: not really, i am wondering too, but let him take his time

TT: Yes, let him take his time.

ectoBiologist (EB) joined the group chat

EB: hiya guys! i'm here now!

arachnidsGrip (AG) was added to the group chat

AG: And I'm here too!

AG: I don't see the point in 8oth 8eing on right now though, John.

EB: good point, but it'll be easier to chat if we aren't sharing a computer.

CG: ARE Y9U TW9 NERDS HANGING 9UT 9R S9METHING?

AG: We, in fact, are!

John pulls out his phone and slides over to Vriska. He snaps a quick selfie of them together and sends it from the Pesterchum app into the group chat.

GC: OH GR34T

GA: Everyone Calm Down

GA: We Dont Need Fights Exploding Everywhere

GA: This Is Supposed To Be A Friendly Chat I Believe

TG: it is, thank you kanaya

GA: No Problem

GC: F1N3, 1 WON'T MURD3R MY TR41TOROUS FORM3R MO1R41L FOR NOW

GG: :O

CG: O:B I F9RG9T Y9U TW9 ACTUALLY USED TO GET AL9NG.

GG: well, im glad weve got this all set up now!

TT: I don't think we have any real reasons to keep using this chat for now. I'll be going for now!

tentacleTherapist (TT) is now offline!

GG: yeah ill be going now too! bye!

gardenGnostic (GG) is now offline!

CG: WELL, THE 9NLY HALF DECENT PERS9N IS G9NE. I'M 9UT.

carcinoGeneticist (CG) is now offline!

EB: me and vriska are going to do other things now, see ya!

ectoBiologist (EB) is now offline!

arachnidsGrip (AG) is now offline!

GA: It Seems Everyone Else Is Going And Porrim Needs Me Anyway So I Am Going To Sign Off

grimAuxiliatrix (GA) is now offline!

GC: TUN4 4ND TUL4 4R3 FL1PP1NG OUT OV3R SOM3TH1NG, 1'M GONN4 GO S33 WH4T'S UP W1TH TH3M

gallowsCalibrator (GC) is now offline!

turntechGodhead (TG) is now offline!

* * *

 **A/N: Hello! Sorry for the slight delay, this chapter's kinda long compared to what I normally write, and involved me trying to figure out how to write like Kanaya and Karkat, since I've never actually tried Kanaya before even though she's my patron troll (I'm a Virgo :3) and I've done Karkat like once before. If it wasn't obvious, Karkat uses a combination of his quirk and Kankri's because I felt like it and besides, they're brothers in this universe and Kankri has rubbed off on Karkat a little so I figured I'd do it. But yay, more trolls!**


	5. Chapter 2: Dragons and Wasps

**A/N: Finally, it's finished! Sorry for the delays in writing this, I didn't quite have the motivation or ideas for it. The next chapter will be stepping backwards in time to the same time this one starts at. Also, Alpha trolls (the dancestors) are older siblings to the main set of trolls, with the exception of a few. In fact, Latula and Terezi are different! They're actually cousins but Terezi's lived with Latula for a LONG TIME and they treat each other like sisters.**

 **Anyway, ONTO THE UPDATE!**

* * *

As the sun begins to set on Earth and begins to rise on Alternia (trapping Vriska on Earth unless she wants to burn), four trolls begin their day and two others become more active.

* * *

In a forest of blue trees, three of the four trolls beginning their day have been awake for a decent amount of time, and the last has just woken up. And who are these trolls? Terezi and Latula Pyrope, and Sollux and Mituna Captor.

Terezi grumbles as Dave is forced off Pesterchum. It's not that she doesn't have an issue with being awake during the day, it's just that literally NO ONE IS ONLINE because normal trolls are nocturnal and it's night on Earth. Well, sometimes there's like, Kanaya, Nepeta, or Rose online, but she doesn't want to talk with them! Not usually, at least. Dave's the only person she really likes to chat with, and it's not only because his candy-red text smells amazing. When he's around, the vicious tendencies fade back a little. Latula says he might be her Knight, considering that he already has a calming effect at such a distance, just like Mituna does for Latula, except Mituna is always close to keep Latula from freaking out. Being a western dragon is so confusing.

The sound of a small explosion from another section of the hive suddenly grabs her attention. It could really be any of the others, between Latula's ability to breath fire and Mituna and Sollux being psiioniics. Still, the odds are on Tula. Psiioniic beams are too destructive for indoors and the guys rarely use them to begin with (Sollux is scared of causing another accident after he accidentally destroyed a bunch of stuff and caused Aradia's legs to be absolutely destroyed and Mituna overused his powers once and isn't very good with his anymore).

Sure enough, on the stairs, Sollux and Mituna are running down them too. "Do you guys have any clue what Latula's doing blasting fire?" Terezi snarls.

"Not a clue, TZ, not a clue. If I had the slightest idea why my matesprit decided to start, I think I'd've been there to begin with to keep her from overexerting herself!" Mituna replies.

In a room dedicated specifically for training, a large line of scorch marks run along the walls, still smoking. A few other burns dot the walls in other places. Latula is kneeling in the center of the room, breathing heavily. Mituna runs to her and helps her up. She's a good deal taller than him, and he's struggling a bit to help support her. "Hey, what's up?" he asks softly.

"I... ugh, I just got frustrated and needed to vent," she sighs.

Sollux and Terezi, too far away to hear, turn to each other, confused. "Do you know what they're talking about?" Sollux asks.

"I dunno. I don't care much, either. Latula's fine, that's all I wanted to know."

"Yeah, I guess it doesn't matter to us, really. D'you wanna just go play some video games or something?"

"Sure, but you already know it's not going to be even remotely a challenge for you to beat me."

The draconic teal-blood and untransformed yellow-blood set off back through the hive.

* * *

After wrapping up his coding for the day as the sun sets, Sollux checks his Pesterchum. A few names are lit up: apocalypseArisen, tentacleTherapist, grimAuxiliatrix, gallowsCalibrator (unsurprisingly, Terezi is still online.), and carcinoGeneticist. He already knows how it is. TT and GA, or rather, Rose and Kanaya, are probably talking, Terezi is _trying_ to get Karkat to talk with her (most likely to little success), and Aradia has only just gotten on.

twinArmageddons (TA) began pestering apocalypseArisen (AA)

TA: hey AA, what2 up?

AA: hi s0llux! i havent started anything yet t0day but i was w0ndering if itd be 0kay t0 c0me 0ver t0 y0ur hive later

AA: damara wants me t0 practice flying and we might c0me by the f0rest

TA: yeah iit2 fiine wiith me

AA: i was m0re w0rried ab0ut mituna terezi and latula caring

AA: i knew y0ud be fine with it

TA: well it depend2 on when you get here. iif iit2 iin a few hour2 were fiine no matter what, but iif youre comiing any miinute ii cant guarantee iit

AA: well im certain i w0nt be there any minute i 0nly just w0ke up maybe fifteen minutes ag0!

AA: and y0ull pr0bably be the last place we g0 s0 i can stay f0r at least a little while

TA: cool

TA: iill 2ee you then, ii gue22. and probably 2leep a liittle before you come

AA: 0kay see y0u later!

apocalypseArisen (AA) ceased pestering twinArmageddons (TA)


	6. Chapter 3: Nature Made Us Weird

**AN: Sorry for yet another delayed chapter! Again, I wasn't motivated until last night. The -insert a heart- thing is because for some reason the symbol I need (less than sign) gets removed. Also, I have 0 clue if any of them read this but big thanks to anyone on rose-ebottles's stream last night for helping me a bit with Rose's reaction to photosynthesizing trolls! Enjoy some gay fluff because ROSEMARY. Oh yeah, this chapter is happening a little bit after the previous chapter starts so the timeline would go Latula's freak out, this update, Sollux and Aradia talking.**

* * *

In a vast expanse of plains, two plant-spirit, jade-blooded trolls settle down for a short rest. The younger of the two, Kanaya, pulls out her laptop to see if Rose is on. Porrim just lies down.

grimAuxiliatrix (GA) began pestering tentacleTherapist (TT)

GA: Hello Rose

TT: Oh, hello Kanaya!

TT: I wasn't really expecting you to be online! I mean, it's not a bad thing, just unexpected.

GA: I Hope I Did Not Interrupt Anything Important By Messaging You

TT: No, I'm the only one awake in my house right now, and I wasn't doing anything major anyway, even if Roxy was awake too.

TT: So, anyway.

TT: Is there anything you want?

GA: No

GA: I Just Wanted To Talk

GA: I Think Porrim Is Trying To Photosynthesize So She Probably Will Not Bother Us

TT: You guys do that?

GA: Well Yes

GA: We Are Plant Trolls You Know

GA: We Do Plant Things Sometimes

TT: Good point. That's pretty neat, still.

GA: I Do Not Find The Process Anything Spectacular

GA: Perhaps That Is Just Because I Am Used To It By Now

TT: I suppose.

On Earth, Rose twitches one of her white ears, and whispers to herself, "Ohmygodtheyactuallycanactlikeplantsthat'skindofsuperamazingwhydoesshehavetobesogreat AAAAAAGH."

Sadly, the moan was too loud, and soon, Roxy enters into Rose's dark room, her pink eyes glinting. "Hey, sis. Whatcha moaning about? I was tryna sleep, y'know."

"N-Nothing! Sorry Roxy, I didn't mean to wake you up!" Rose replies with a nervous laugh.

"Nah, it's fine. Are you talking with someone again? Actually, lemme guess: is it Kanaya? She usually sets you off."

"Fine, you got me. I'm talking to Kanaya."

"'Kay! Well, I'm gonna try and sleep more. Try and keep down the noises. And get some sleep yourself, ya nerd."

GA: Rose

GA: Rose Are You Still There

TT: Yeah.

TT: Sorry, I spaced out a little there.

GA: Its Okay

TT: It's just... you do so many things that are impressive and here I am, nothing special at all.

GA: I Think You Are More Special Than You Think You Are

GA: For One Thing Out Of Everyone I Know That Might Be On During This Time You Are The Only One To Ever Actively Message Me

GA: And Talking To You Is Quite Exciting

TT: You know, you're the only person who seems to think that. Most of our dear friends tend to find me rather boring.

TT: I get very passionate and start rambling sometimes, although I doubt that's a surprise to you.

GA: It Is Not A Surprise

GA: I Am Very Used To It But I Happen To Like Reading Your Long Messages

GA: I Dont Get Much Excitement Wandering Alternia

GA: But Seeing You Get So Excited Over Things Is Very Sweet

TT: ...

TT: Thanks.

TT: I think I might try to sleep a little. Mom and Roxy always complain how much staying up to talk with you all night messes up my sleep schedule. Seriously though, I'm part cat. There is no such thing as a 'normal sleep schedule' for us!

GA: You Will Be Online Later

TT: Yeah, probably.

GA: Well Then I Will See You Later

TT: Bye.

TT: -insert a heart here-

tentacleTherapist (TT) ceased pestering grimAuxiliatrix (GA)

Kanaya stares blankly at her screen. Did Rose _really_ just sign off with a heart? _Does she even know what that means to a troll?!_ She closes her computer and lies down too. Might as well photosynthesize when there's nothing else better to do.

Porrim looks over to Kanaya with a questioning glance. "What's wrong, Kanaya?"

"Rose Lalonde sent me a heart right before she signed off. And if she meant flushed feelings by that... I think I might be reciprocating those feelings for her too."


End file.
